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Victrix Guard
Roboute Guilliman during the Terran Crusade in ca. 999.M41]] The Victrix Guard, also known as the Victrix Honour Guard, are an elite formation of Ultramarines chosen by the Primarch Roboute Guilliman after his resurrection in 999.M41 to accompany him on the Terran Crusade. They were later instituted during the Era Indomitus as a formation of the Ultramarines Honour Guard hand-picked by the Primarch himself as a reward for exemplary service. During the Terran Crusade, the Victrix Guard acted as Guilliman's bodyguards and diplomatic envoys, and they sought to excel in every aspect of battle and statecraft alike. Veteran Marines with countless standard centuries of combat experience between them, the Victrix Guard advance fearlessly into battle with their Bolters thundering and their heads held high. At their head strides a band of Ultramarines Honour Guard led by none other than Captain Cato Sicarius himself, the hot-blooded master swordsman of Talassar. A true gathering of courageous heroes, the Victrix Guard are more than capable of cutting their way through entire armies of foes, heaping their bodies in gory mounds for the enduring glory of Ultramar and the ever-lasting realm of the Emperor Himself. In the wake of the Terran Crusade, Guilliman eventually redeployed members of the Victrix Guard to serve with the Ultramarines leaders who remained behind on the Chapter homeworld of Macragge. History Chapter Master Marneus Calgar, attended by his Victrix Guardsmen Lethro Ados and Nemus Adranus.]] While originally an ad hoc unit formed by Roboute Guilliman to accompany him on the Terran Crusade, the Victrix Honour Guard have since been officially instituted as a formation of the Ultramarines by Chapter Master Marneus Calgar. To many outsiders, the Victrix may appear as an elite within an elite. It is certainly true that no Space Marine can join them without having first served in the Ultramarines Honour Guard, but the skills and attributes that make them warriors apart are not purely martial. They are instead appointed by Roboute Guilliman himself for their selflessness in battle and their ability to cast aside their own personal glory to ensure that the Chapter is always victorious. Issoros Praernon; Trismerus Gerorian; Morvio Tarilis. None of these names are celebrated across the Imperium. But without their sacrifice, Corpus Helix, the Ultramarines Chief Apothecary, might not have been able to evacuate precious gene-seed from the recruiting world of Cietara before it was overrun by Mortarion's Death Guard. Chaplain Ortan Cassius could have failed to prevent the fall of Agnuna to the world's Genestealer Cult and may have lost his life to its Genestealer Patriarch and a horde of Genestealers. Master of the Forge Fennias Maxim might have been unable to reach the broken Void Shield generators aboard the Battle Barge Severian in time to restore them before the ceaseless attacks of WAAAGH! Grorgnork destroyed the ancient warship. Hundreds of Ultramarines knelt as their bodies lay in state, and it is in these battles, as well as many others, that the bonds of brotherhood between the Ultramarines commanders and the Victrix Guard have been made unbreakable. Combat Doctrine The Victrix Guard's creation not only suits Guilliman's desire to have his sons' ranks made up of dedicated specialists, but also represents his firm belief that the shield is as important as the sword. The wargear they bear demonstrates this. Any foe that hopes to defeat the Victrix Guard must first break through Storm Shields as large as a mortal man, and if they are somehow successful in that regard, must outmatch the Victrix's breathtaking skill with a blade. The Gladius itself is a representation of the Victrix Guard's role. It is best employed in quick, precise thrusts that nonetheless land with deadly force, an efficiency not purely for metaphor. In battle, Victrix Guard can expect to be hard-pressed beyond almost all of their Battle-Brothers, and every stab of their swords must slay an enemy if they are to be successful. Only deployed for campaigns of the greatest importance, they will be assigned to senior Ultramarines officers to ensure their personal protection at all cost. Unit Composition *'1 unit of Ultramarines Honour Guard' *'4 units of Sternguard Veterans or Vanguard Veterans, in any combination' *'2 Victrix Honour Guard (Era Indomitus)' Wargear *'Artificer Armour' *'Power Sword (Gladius)' *'Ultima Storm Shield' Notable Campaigns *'Terran Crusade (999.M41)' - The Victrix Guard was first assembled by Roboute Guilliman to accompany him on his successful Terran Crusade to reach the throneworld of the Imperium after his resurrection so that he could speak to his father the Emperor of Mankind. *'Indomitus Crusade (ca. 999.M41 - ca. 111.M42)' - Elements of the Victrix Guard accompanied Roboute Guilliman throughout the century that the Indomitus Crusade lasted. *'War of Beasts (Unknown Date.M42)' - The Ultramarines Chapter Master Marneus Calgar, newly transformed into a Primaris Marine, launched the counter-invasion of the xenos-tainted planet of Vigilus with the veteran warriors Lethro Ados and Nemus Adranus -- two of his most trusted aides from the Victrix Guard -- always at his side. Notable Victrix Guard *'Cato Sicarius' - Cato Sicarius was recognised by Roboute Guilliman as the commander of the Victrix Guard. *'Dibus' - Dibus was a trusted member of the Victrix Guard who accompanied Roboute Guilliman during the Indomitus Crusade. *'Lethro Ados' - Lethro Ados was one of the two members of the Victrix Guard who served as Marneus Calgar's bodyguards and aides during the War of Beasts. *'Macullus' - Macullus was a trusted member of the Victrix Guard who accompanied Roboute Guilliman during the Indomitus Crusade. *'Nemus Adranus' - Adranus was one of the two members of the Victrix Guard who served as Marneus Calgar's bodyguards and aides during the War of Beasts. *'Issoros Praernon (KIA)' - Praernon was slain aiding Corpus Helix, the Ultramarines Chief Apothecary, in evacuating precious gene-seed from the recruiting world of Cietara before it was overrun by Mortarion's Death Guard. *'Trismerus Gerorian (KIA)' - Gerorian was a member of the Victrix Honour Guard slain aiding Chaplain Ortan Cassius in preventing the fall of Agnuna to the world's Genestealer Cult. Cassius might have lost his life to its Genestealer Patriarch and a horde of Genestealers without Gerorian's intervention. *'Morvio Tarilis (KIA)' - Tarilis was slain aiding Master of the Forge Fennias Maxim in reaching the broken Void Shield generators aboard the Battle Barge Severian in time to restore them before the ceaseless attacks of WAAAGH! Grorgnork destroyed the ancient warship. Sources *''Codex Supplement: Ultramarines'' (8th Edition), pg. 41 *''Gathering Storm - Part Three - Rise of the Primarch'' (7th Edition), pg. 131 *''Dark Imperium'' (Novel) by Guy Haley, Ch. 4 *Marneus Calgar, Ultramarines Chapter Master Category:V Category:Imperium Category:Space Marines Category:Ultramarines